Philippines' Abu Sayyaf terror group abducts 10 Indonesian sailors

Ten Indonesian crew members on board a tugboat were kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines at the weekend, officials in Manila said late on Monday.

Two Philippine military officials said the militant group had demanded an undisclosed ransom amount from the boat's owners. The officials declined to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to media.

The crew were operating a privately owned Taiwanese tugboat on its way from Jakarta to Manila when it was hijacked near the Malaysian border.

Belgium releases sole suspect charged over Brussels attacks

The sole suspect charged over last week's Brussels attacks was released Monday (March 28) following a lack of evidence linking him to the carnage, Belgian prosecutors said.

"The indications that led to the arrest of Faycal C. were not substantiated by the ongoing inquiry. As a result, the subject has been released by the examining magistrate," the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement, without giving further details.

Belgian media had identified the man as Faycal Cheffou who claimed to be a freelance journalist.

Tennis: Top-ranked Serena Williams ousted in fourth round at Miami

Serena Williams' bid for a ninth Miami Open title came to shock end when the world number one was beaten 6-7(3) 6-1 6-2 in the fourth round by 15th-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova on Monday.

The loss on the Miami hardcourts was the first since 2012 for William, who had swept the last three titles.

It was a day of dramatic upsets at Crandon Park, as Williams stepped onto the Stadium court for her Round of 16 match immediately after third-seeded world number two Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland was tripped up by 19th-seeded Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 2-6 6-4 6-2.

The Straits Times

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